Opinion
Suggestions that farm safety statistics can be improved by better farmer education is insulting nonsense
Dairy
With the removal of milk quotas only a few months away, many Irish dairy farmers are set to calve and milk a lot more cows in 2015 than in previous years.
Increasing the number of dairy cows is expensive and can be a significant drain on cash in a fledgling dairy business.
Trust between beef producers and the main processors appears to be at an all-time low. Producers appear to be completely disillusioned with the beef processors regular failure to pay what is considered a fair price.
The group I met are realistic enough to know that this trend can’t continue and are proactively exploring a ‘third option’ for themselves and following generations.
Agriland recently reported that ‘If you’re not farming for profit, we’d like to wish you well with your hobby’. An interesting statement....
Dairy farmer Brian Costello writes that a wet May forced farmers to think alternatively
Breaking News
Regardless of numbers, the basics of calf-rearing never change – colostrum, hygiene and regular observation.
In my role as a farm consultant I am fortunate to work with lots of dairy farmers who have significantly expanded their herds.
COMMENT: From 2015 the new quota in Irish dairy farming will be the amount of milking platform hectares that cows can reasonably be walked to.
For dairy farmers considering significant expansion making the transition from managing cows and grass to a team of people is a major challenge.
